Energy from the restless sea

A group of entrepreneurs is harnessing the perpetual motion of the ocean and turning it into a commodity in high demand: energy. With high oil prices, dwindling fuel supplies and a growing pressure to reduce global warming, governments and utilities have high hopes for tidal energy. The "fuel" is free and sustainable, and the process does not generate pollution or emissions.

Ocean energy had a brief revival when oil prices rose in the 1970's, but financing dried up with low oil prices in the 1990's. These days, wave power designs vary from machines that look like corks bobbing in the ocean to devices that resemble snakes pointing into waves. Tidal power machines often come in the form of turbines which generate energy by spinning as tides move in and out. A handful of commercial projects are also in the works, including the world's first "wave farm" being installed off the north coast of Portugal. A field of tidal turbines is also being built off the shore of Tromso, Norway.

No energy source is perfect, though, and marine energy developers are running into some hurdles : the machines can be an eyesore. They often need to be rooted on sea floors relatively close to shore, or mounted on rocks on the shore.

- There is also a lesser known technology called OTEC (Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion). Ocean energy technologies like tidal power, OTEC and offshore wind turbines are candidates to consider for a country like Singapore, which is surrounded by water.

(2006-08-04 14:02:40 SGT) [Energy] Permalink

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